The Capitular friars of the Province of St Thomas Aquinas in Italy, gathered at the Convent of Madonna dellArco, have elected fr Francesco La Vecchia as their Prior Provincial. The Master of the Order, fr Bruno Cador has confirmed the election and fr Francesco has accepted according to the regular norms.
Fr Francesco was born at Messina (south of Italy) in 1972. He entered the Order at Firenze in 1991 and was ordained to the priesthood in 1997. He studied Philosophy at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Choral Direction and Composition of Sacred Music at the Pontifical Institute of Sacred Music, Oriental Ecclesiastical Sciences at the Pontifical Institute of Oriental Studies, all in Rome.
He has taught at the Pontifical Seminary of Pius XI in Reggio Calabria and at the Interprovincial Faculty of Philosophy at Napoli. He established a School of Theology for the Laity at the mandate of the Diocese of Mileto-Nicotera-Troppa in 2001.
In the province, he has served as; Promoter of Preaching, Superior of the community and Rector of the Shrine of the Basilica of St Dominic, Soriano Calabro, Superior of the community and Rector of the Shrine of the Basilica of Santa Maria della Coltura and Master of Students at the Interprovincial House of Studies at Napoli.
(10 July 2017)